The Un-Official Cavaliers 45 Year Anniversary:

[rabman_gold]

Cavaliers 45th Year Anniversary Unofficial Handbook:

I thought before the season finally ends, I’d bring back the nostalgia a lot of our older members might remember. So, I made this the unofficial Cavs 45 Year Anniversary Thread.

Beginnings:

Three teams came into the NBA in 1970 from blue collar, hard hat cities, expanding the league from East and West divisions to conferences.

Portland Trail-Blazers
Buffalo Braves
Cleveland Cavaliers

All three of these teams started out with seasons to forget, but managed to build their team from the ground up. As Buffalo drafted college star Bob McAdoo, Portland acquired Bill Walton, and Cleveland drafted Austin Carr. The window for contention was small for all of these three, but in the Cavs’ case, was able to hit their peak during the 1975-1976 season.

Tough Luck/Moving Forward:

We already had put together most of the pieces. AC was not the same player that scored 61 points in the NCAA Tournament, as injuries have taken a toll, but was still a hard worker. We had filled the roster with almost nothing BUT hard works. Bill Fitch, the manager and coach, got throughout the first 6 years several key players to pair with our former all-star Carr:

• Bingo Smith
• Jim Cleamons
• Jim Chones
• Jim Brewer
• Foots Walker
• Dick Snyder
• Campy Russell

The Final Key Trade in 1976:

The most important acquisition was the mid-season trade for future hall of fame center Nate Thurmond. Not only providing a veteran who knew how to win, but a sage who told them they could win. It resulted in the first Central Division Championship in Cavaliers history. It also was the preface for a legendary playoff series dubbed affectionately the “Miracle of Richfield” due to the several game winning and buzzer beating shots made by certain Cavaliers.

A Broken Foot in Practice:

Before they faced the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, there was the precursor for what would be a long line of notorious injuries that key Cavaliers suffered throughout the years. Jim Chones, the primary big man offensively and defensively, broke his foot. That was the season. The Cavs left the building in 6 games.

The rest of the 70s played out. The Cavs only made the playoffs a few more times, but were man-handled. Injuries didn’t help nor the addition of defunct ABA Franchises coming to the NBA, adding more talent to the league. Soon, it was the end of the first decade, when the franchise was ultimately sold to a man named Ted Stepien.

The Evil that is the Cavaliers Owner:

With ridiculous folk songs, can-eating men, supposed multi-city hosting for home games, and a mass amount of trading for the sake of trading (ex. trading the 1982 first round pick which was turned into the Laker’s all-star, James Worthy), we hit the lows of the low. They made rules on trading consecutive draft picks because of Stepien’s deals… Can’t forget Coach Bill Musselman either...

Moving Forward, let the World Be Free!

The Cavs were finally able to get the ball rolling again before Stepien relocated the franchise to Toronto. The Gund Brothers purchased the team, changed logo colors, and stabilized our roster after being granted extra picks to make up for the ones the Cavs lost to Stepien deals. They had re-established a roster with decent standouts like World B. Free, Geoff Huston, Roy Hinson, and John Bagley.

A New Cavs Team:

When they hired Lenny Wilkens as head coach with Wayne Embry as general manager in 1986, they put together a team of young talent to grow into a perennial playoff contender:

• Brad Daugherty (draft/trade)
• Ron Harper (draft)
• Mark Price (trade/draft)
• Hot Rod Williams (waited to bring in)
• Craig Ehlo (signed as free agent)
• Larry Nance (multi-player trade)

The team became a decent team in the late 80s, but they lacked toughness (Mahorn elbow), health (multiple major injuries), and depth (traded Harper for Ferry) to make it REAL far. They lacked a superstar difference maker, as Jordan proved time after time. By the time they started getting players who could help, like Terrell Brandon, Bobby Phills (RIP), Chris Mills, and Tyrone Hill… it wasn’t enough time with losing Daugherty and Nance to career ending injuries and Mark Price no longer at the same level as before.

A Steady Down Slope into a Pit:

Along the way, we got on the treadmill of mediocrity. Gone were the days of having multiple all-stars with different skills. Just play defense, get 42-47 wins, and make the playoffs (not making it past the first round). Ownership wanted to get stars to play in Cleveland, so Embry S&T for Shawn Kemp. It didn’t work. Eventually they dropped as far as 17 wins in 2003. Along the way, trying to glue the puzzle together. They had hard workers like Andre Miller, Wesley Person, Robert Traylor (RIP), but could not capitalize on trades (Darius Miles, Ricky Davis), draft picks (DeSagana Diop, Dajuan Wagner, Chris Mihm), and health (Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Matt Harpring).

And then the Cavaliers drafted LeBron:

Quickly making the team a rising threat, the managers and coaches (along with roster players) were all shuffled in transition. Once we cleaned house after 2 straight years of just barely out of the playoff mix, Dan Gilbert bought the team, Mike Brown became the coach, and Danny Ferry became our GM (ironic, isn’t it?). The rosters from 2005-2010 saw massive changes throughout the seasons:

Upgrade at each position:

Center:

• Zydrunas Ilgauskas
• Shaquille O’Neal

Power Forward:

• Drew Gooden
• Ben Wallace
• Antawn Jamison

Small Forward:

• You’re kidding, right?

Shooting Guard:

• Larry Hughes
• Sasha Pavlovic
• Wally Szczerbiak
• Delonte West
• Anthony Parker

Point Guard:

• Eric Snow
• Larry Hughes
• Delonte West
• Mo Williams

Bench Brigade:

• Donyell Marshall/Damon Jones/Anderson Varejao
  • +Daniel Gibson
• Daniel Gibson/Joe Smith/Anderson Varejao/Sasha Pavlovic
  • +Wally Szczerbiak
• Zydrunas Ilgauskas/Anderson Varejao/Jamario Moon/Delonte West
  • +J.J. Hickson

From 2006-2010, they won 2 Central Division championships (with 60+ wins in each season), they won the Eastern Conference championship (2007), and forced 2 strong franchises into 7 game series. It was the best time of the Cavaliers history, until LeBron decided to broadcast his decision.

“I’m taking my talents to south beach”:

When LeBron left, it gave all of Cleveland a bitter taste in their mouths. We took the time to acquire as many assets as possible and drafting the players who could change our fortunes. By taking on all sorts of contracts and TPEs, we put together enough value to trade for our future playoff members.

1. Traded LeBron for 4 draft picks and a TPE
2. Traded Delonte for the contracts of Hollins/Sessions and a draft pick
3. Traded Mo and Moon for the contract of Baron Davis and a draft pick
4. Traded Eyenga and Sessions for the contracts of Kapono/Walton, 2 extra draft picks and draft pick swap
5. Traded Jon Leuer for the contracts of Wayne/Selby/Speights and a future draft pick
6. Was able to win the draft lottery 3 times in 4 years.

Chris Grant made all of these moves, but with a front office headed by Gilbert breathing down his neck, he was not able to continue to make moves, as he was fired midway through the 2013-2014 season.

The Return to Glory (almost):

Finally, we’re right back in the mix for a championship. After the deals made, we’ve come a long way, with by far the most talented roster ever:

• Timofey Mozgov is a healthier and mobile Zydrunas Ilgauskas
• Kevin Love is the best power forward since Carlos Boozer (but a better shooter/post defender)
• J.R. Smith is the most important floor spacer since Wesley Person
• Kyrie Irving is the best scoring point guard since Terrell Brandon
• Tristan Thompson replaces Anderson Varejao’s old role to a tee
• Iman Shumpert is similar to Larry Hughes (without the attitude and need to chuck jumpers)

Let the good times roll on.

But t'anks for the memories.

 

[ssopata]

Thanks for starting this.


I was in 2nd grade during the MoR year. Remember listening to Joe Tait during the Bullets series and just how loud the crowd was during those games. When Snyder hit that runner I thought Tait was gonna fall outta his chair. (like he did when Duane Kuiper hit his only home run). My mom and Uncle were at the game. No one left the arena until the players did. My mom said AC was walking the concourse and getting mobbed.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Thanks for starting this.


I was in 2nd grade during the MoR year. Remember listening to Joe Tait during the Bullets series and just how loud the crowd was during those games. When Snyder hit that runner I thought Tait was gonna fall outta his chair. (like he did when Duane Kuiper hit his only home run). My mom and Uncle were at the game. No one left the arena until the players did. My mom said AC was walking the concourse and getting mobbed.

I was there for two of those games, and I have never been to a sporting event as loud. There are write-ups in various places, but it is literally true that the place would be loud as hell a half-hour before the games even started. The building would shake, and your ears actually hurt after awhile. It was really before the days of corporate seating, so the crowd consisted almost entirely of "Real Cavs Fans." Pretty heavily male, too. It wasn't the dating/social thing it is now. More diverse ethnically, too.

I've mentioned this before, but it was my first game, and I remember that the only time it was remotely quiet was during the National Anthem. Then some guy up in the cheap(er) seats booms out "Unseld you fat motherfucker!" It was that kind of crowd -- just awesome.

Just an incredible, absolute blast. I still get chills every time I here "C'mon Cavs", or whatever the hell it's called. Best Cleveland sports memory.